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醍 (tí) is a phonosemantic compound: 酉 indicates wine and fermentation, and 是 (shì) gives the sound. Originally referring to an unstrained, reddish or clear early liquor, the character is now best known from the compound 醍醐 (tíhú), which first meant highly refined clarified butter or ghee. Buddhist translators adopted this as a metaphor for the purest, ultimate truth of the Buddha's teachings, giving us the idiom 醍醐灌顶 (tíhúguàndǐng), meaning to be enlightened with perfect wisdom.
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